


The Shady Oaks Retirement Village's Club for the Fabric Arts

by loracarol



Category: Steam Powered Giraffe
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-28
Updated: 2014-01-03
Packaged: 2017-12-21 14:19:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/901277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loracarol/pseuds/loracarol
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Spine isn't used to casual touches, or being called terms of endearment- especially not by old ladies. It's a good thing they weren't trying to kidnap him...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. It begins

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a scene in the fic [Seven Point Eight](http://archiveofourown.org/works/640138/chapters/1160438), though it does not take place in the 'verse of that story.

Watching robots try to be stealthy was an interesting experience for the human members of the band, especially when the robots were Rabbit, and Hatchworth.

Grinning a little, Michael Reed went up to the two, and waited patiently for their advanced circuitry to notice him. 

“What’s going on?” He asked the two ‘bots, as they peeked around a pillar in the lobby of the Shady Oaks Retirement Village. Admittedly not their usual type of venue, but they couldn’t really afford to be picky.

“The S-Spine’s having some issues” Rabbit said, smirking and pointing to the silver automaton.

The Spine was standing stock still, and staring at an older woman who didn’t even come up to his shoulder. She was stretching up, and patting his face, and when Michael looked closely, he could see tiny tremors running through the Spine’s chassis.

“Is he going to be okay?”

“Yeah, he’s fine, just nervous.” Rabbit’s smile grew wider, and he ignored the buzz of ‘Rabbit _help me_ ’ that the Spine was sending over their wireless connection.

“If you’re sure…”

“I’m s-sure.” ‘ _Rabbit_!’

‘ _Not now Spine, we need to finish packing up_!’ Rabbit sent back, staying resolutely put to watch the Spine’s discomfort.

“Did ya need something Mr. Reed?” Rabbit asked, as Michael hadn’t left yet.

“I needed his help moving some stuff, but if he’s busy…”

Exchanging a look with Hatchworth, Rabbit turned, and saluted the one man band; “we’ll help you, I wouldn’t want ta interrupt.”

The Spine grumbled through the wireless as Rabbit left. He didn’t want to just leave; Mrs. Gable was being _very_ polite, but every time she spoke to him she called him “son”, and it was causing tiny malfunctions that were making him nervous. _No one_ called him son like that, so casually. Peter Walter I hadn’t even called the Walter ‘bots that, despite their affections for him.

“Are you alright there, son?” she asked, breaking his concentration. He nodded, jerkily, and she kept talking. “You did such a good job, I recognized all of those songs from when _I_ was young!” Then she stretched up and patted his face gently.

The Spine’s photoreceptors widened perceptively as he felt her hand on his cheek. _No one_ touched him as casually as that- just like no one called him ‘son’. After all, he was a seven foot tall silver robot, that would just be _weird_.

“I-I’m glad you enjoyed it ma’am” he said, stuttering like Rabbit.

“Are you sticking around for a while” she asked. “We have a sewing circle going on up stairs, and I’m sure the ladies would _love_ to have you helping.” Her hand moved, she had been stretching to reach his face, and must have been getting tired, but she didn’t remove her hand from him completely, instead gently placing it on his arm.

The Spine knew how to do stitches; he had been upgraded with the ability during the First World War, and he hadn’t ever learned how to sew, but he nodded, brief error messages showing up, and then vanishing again.

\---

“Wait, where did the Spine go?”

\---

They found the Spine sitting awkwardly with a bunch of older ladies, stitching up teddy bears, photoreceptors slightly unfocused as the older ladies teased him, calling him ‘son’, and other endearments. He had a faint smile on his face.


	2. The continuing misadventures of The Spine and The Shady Oaks Retirement Village’s Club for the Fabric Arts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short chapter that I wrote one day to cheer myself up. :)
> 
> ...And I just realized I never put this chapter on AO3, though it was on tumblr. Oops. >_>;

The Spine was in the library trying to read a book when the phone started ringing. 

And ringing. 

And  _ringing._

Sighing a small puff of steam at the fact that no one elsewas answering the phone, he put his book down and went to answer it himself.

"Hello, is this where that sweet boy the Spine lives?" Mrs. Gable asked, and the Spine’s photoreceptors widened as he thanked his lucky stars that he was the one who had answered the phone- none of the others would have  let him live that sort of moniker down. 

"Yes Ma’am" he replied, wondering how she had gotten the manor’s phone number. 

"Oh goodness gracious son, I almost didn’t recognize your voice over these tin cans they call phones now-a-days. Anyhow, we’re having a little meet up later, and the other ladies were wondering if you could show. Do you know how to knit?" 

And the Spine had to admit that yes, yes he did. He had learned during World War II where he used to make socks out of the old shirts that his crew mates could no longer wear for whatever reason. 

"You there son?" 

"I- y-yes. Yes I know how. To knit. Do I need to bring anything?" 

"Oh goodness no, just your sweet little self. Be here in an hour." And then she hung up. 

The Spine stared at the phone, glitching, for five minutes, wondering what had just happened, before putting the phone down, and looking for one of the humans to drive him to the retirement center.

He hadn’t knitted in almost seventy years- he hoped they wouldn’t be too disappointed. 

Hearing laughing coming from another part of the manor, the Spine just shook his head, and kept walking. Whatever Rabbit and Hatchworth were up to, he had other plans. 

—-

Rabbit and Hatchworth listening in couldn’t help it, and burst out laughing. 

"Sw-w-weet little self-f? H-has she  _met_ him?”Rabbit was giggling, as Hatchworth joined in.

That was enough blackmail material to last them a  _lifetime_. 


	3. Wherein the Spine thanks his lucky stars that Rabbit's not around

The Spine was used to making socks, socks for adults, and soldiers, not hats. And not for infants, as was the Shady Oaks' forte, as they made hats for the premature babies in the hospital. He held the yarn in his hands, marveling at the delicate weight. The needles too were dwarfed in his hands, and he hoped that he wouldn't break them by accident. 

"Don't worry, it's a simple pattern"  a lady named Susan was saying, "we wouldn't expect you to make a fancy hat just yet, and not for a baby. They can't even tell the difference!" 

"...Right." He held the knitting needles awkwardly, "I did say that it's been a while since I last knit, didn't I?" 

"Yes dear, but you never really forget." She then proceeded to pick up her own knitting needles, and start casting on, "just follow my lead, you'll have it down in no time." 

He followed her lead, listening to the ladies talk around him as he focused on his work. 

"Now you bind off, and you're done" Susan said, and he realized with a mild start that he had actually finished a hat. A tiny hat, but a hat nonetheless. "Hold it up for the camera?" 

"What?" 

"It's tradition- everyone has their photo taken with their first project, they're up on that wall over that" she waved at a picture board that the Spine had seen, though not studied very closely, admittedly. 

He held the hat up, and heard the click of a camera. 

"Oh sweetheart, this is such a good picture of you!" Dolores handed him the camera so he could see the screen. He was smiling in the photo, and almost looked...  _Bashful._ The Spine's eyebrows rose, as he handed the camera back. 

"Are you sure? I don't mind taking a different one." He asked, uncertaintanty tinging his voice. 

Dolores patted his shoulder, "no, no, this is perfect!"  

"If you say so." 

"Well, ladies, now that we've gotten that out of the way" Francis said in her Texas drawl, "we still have another hour, so let's get back to work."

 

"Do you have it down?" Susan asked, casting on for a new hat.

The Spine nodded; he had stored the pattern in his neural processors as he worked. 

"Well, then, let's get back to it." 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Basically I have a soft spot for little old ladies interacting with the Spine, so when I feel down, I write pointless fluff about them interacting. This is never going to have an actual plot, though. Heads up. :)


	4. Wherein the author meant to post this mini subplot-like thing for the holidays and totally forgot (1/2)

The next time the phone rang for the Spine, he was practicing his guitar, and he winced a little as he unhooked the guitar strap, it brushing against the new protrusions of his spine. The new spinal column was still a little fragile, and it gave him some grief as he moved, but he'd be fine. 

Putting the guitar down gently, he answered the phone at the third ring. the voice on the other end of the phone was a familiar one, and he felt a smile grow on his face as he listened intently.

"I'll be there" he said, "if I can get a ride."      

"It's a shame that you can't drive" Francis said over the line, tone sharp and disapproving, "I know this is short notice, but we've been trying to get a hold of you and we haven't been able to. You should fix that." 

The Spine, having since learned that that was the way that Francis talked to _everybody_ , ignored the tone and replied "we _have_ been pretty busy. I'll be there as soon as possible."

"Good." 

The Spine heard Francis hang up, followed by the sound of a second faint click, and rolled his eyes at his siblings' antics; they had taken to listening in to his conversations, and teasing him about it. Nothing too hurtful, but it  _was_  annoying. He hung up the phone, grateful that it had been Francis who had called; the ex-nurse was blunter, and tended not to use the same pet names that the others' did. (As much as the Spine secretly enjoyed them, he did not enjoy his brother's teasing him bout them.)

Hitching a ride with Steve, the Spine stretched out awkwardly in the back of a van, trying not to lean back too much. The first half of the ride was quiet, before Steve decided to break the silence, asking "you sure this is a good time?" over his shoulder.

"Yes."

"Alright." He paused for a moment, before continuing, "call me to come get you if your spine is giving you _any_ trouble.  _Seriously._ Don't put it off."

"I won't."   

"Good."

Pulling into the Shady Oaks parking lot, Steve parked, and let the Spine out, looking him over to make sure the Spine really was okay. 

The Spine merely stood up straight, and brushed invisible dust off of his clothing before tipping his hat to Steve, saying a quick "thank you for the ride", and walking towards the building.

Steve just shrugged, and got back in the van, leaving the Spine to do… Whatever he did when he was at the retirement home, having learned a long time ago to stop asking what the robots did in their "free time". 

Entering the building, the Spine tipped his hat to the receptionist, and signed in, holding the pen carefully so as to not break it, before heading down to the room the ladies used for their knitting circle. 

"Oh good, you finally made it" Francis said acerbically, working on a throw blanket.

The Spine just tipped his hat to her with a grin, before looking around the room for a safe place to sit; one where he wouldn't have to put pressure against his spinal column was ideal, but one where he could sit on the edge of a chair would work too, as long as it was sturdy enough to not tip over. 

"Good heavens what _did_ you do to your back?" Mrs. Gable asked him, frowning in concentration. 

"There was an incident" the Spine said, uncomfortable, "and things had to change." 

"Is that a permanent change?" she asked, concern evident in her features. 

"As far as I can tell, ma'am." 

Francis looked over at him, looking him over, and added, "well, you can still knit, right? Your arms look in one piece still. Why don't you sit down, and we'll get you started on something." 

The Spine stood there, feeling awkward and newly made, as the ladies waited expectantly, "Is there a stool or something I could borrow?" he asked, they're- ah- sensitive." 

Francis' features softened just a little, before she waved one of the aids to come over, and she spoke in the aid's ear. 

"Well, until they get back, you can watch one of us, and maybe learn some new things."

The Spine stood, and watched; one of the gentlemen was making a lace doily, and the Spine wished briefly that he could do such tiny intricate work himself. Francis was making a blanket, as she usually did, but the combination of stitches was new to him, and he watched her in awe. Alice was working on a pair of socks that had little tiny snowflakes on them, and when he asked, she promised she'd teach him how to do intarsia knitting at some point. 

Finally the aid came down with a stool, and the Spine sat down on it gingerly, hoping it would hold his weight. It did, and as he sat down, Francis put a skein of yarn in a basket on the floor next to him, and handed him the end, and a crochet hook. "you know how to knit," she said, "now you're going to learn how to crochet, too." 

\---------

The Spine had been enjoying the company of the Fabric Arts club and learning how to crochet for most of the morning when the chattering stopped, and Beatrice walked in with a large wrapped box. 

"It's for you, for Christmas dear" she said, handing it to the Spine. "We know it's early, but we heard you had some shows in December, and we didn't want to stress you at."

"Thank you?" 

"Just open it." 

The Spine opened the box, and inside was a sweater. It was, quite honestly...

...The most  _hideous_ sweater the Spine had ever seen. The colors were garish, there were bits and bobs hanging off of it, the pattern was a mess, and really? It looked like a unicorn had eaten a neon rainbow and then vomited it out in sweater form.

He stared at it, blinking, and uncertain. He was about to thank them for the gift- he was polite, among other things- when he heard the click of a camera. 

"Sorry dear" Susan said, holding the camera tightly and grinning, "but, this being your first Christmas with us, we just  _had_ to give you The Sweater. Don't worry, it's not your real Christmas present." 

"We did have your original present all ready for you, but then you showed up with those spikey things on your back, so we'll have to change some things up." Alice added, apologetically. 

"Oh." The Spine replied, grinning, and relieved at the fact that he didn't actually have to keep the sweater, "that's good, I don't think the colors would have looked good on me anyway."

  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, uh, I TOTALLY meant to get this chapter and the next one out before Christmas, but then I forgot. 
> 
> I am super sorry about that.
> 
> Late Holiday present?


End file.
